I’d like to think I have surrounded myself with some of the best people the Twin Cities has to offer. My friends are the greatest, most talented people in the local music scene and last night proved that.
I’m going to be honest, I was not in the mood for a show last night. I’m exhausted from this concert bender and work was hell and I really just wanted to go home and sleep. That all changed the instant I walked into Amsterdam in Saint Paul last night. I walked in, handed over my ticket, grabbed a beer and found myself in my happy place after a stressful day towards the end of a hectic week.
All of the bands that played last night were on point. There was not a single band that I didn’t enjoy (which is rare for an all ages show that features 23512 bands… okay, I’m exaggerating a wee bit, but there are always SO many local bands on shows like this).
The worst thing about being an adult and wanting to go to a bunch of all ages shows? You usually miss the first band or few because the show starts way earlier than when you get off work. Usually this doesn’t bug me. I mean, it does because I love seeing local bands play, but it is what it is and I have bills to pay. Last night I only caught two songs of the first band, Aurae, and it was the first time in awhile that I was truly disappointed that I didn’t get to the show right on time.
Last night was the third time I had seen these guys play. It has only been a couple of months since the last time I saw them but they completely blew me away last night. I support the local scene no matter what, but it is rare that a local band that I’m not friends with has me this hooked. The kids in this band look young enough to be my own children but the amount of talent they have is far more than some of the kids I went to college with who studied music full time.
Maybe it’s their professionalism that has me in love. Their set got cut way short last night. Like short enough that they barely had time to tell the crowd who they were. They didn’t complain. They didn’t take to Facebook and rant about it. They got off the stage and thanked people for their time. That sounds little and insignificant but I can’t tell you how many bands I’ve seen that have their sets cut short and act like little babies about it. Keep your eyes on this band. Seriously, there are big things to come for this band.
By The Thousands was the main reason I went to the show last night. Not only are these boys good friends of mine, they are amazing musicians and continue to gain the popularity in the scene that they deserve. I remember being one of the only people at some of their first shows. Last night, they had a bigger crowd than majority of the other opening bands and out of majority of the local bands here in the Twin Cities, they are more than worthy of this.
Their music is perfection. It’s technical and precise but not overwhelming. When a sample doesn’t play on time, they don’t stop the song to fix it, they wait it out like true professionals, never missing a beat. It’s heavy with bass drops and breakdowns that take your breath away. It’s the fact that the second they start playing, you can’t help but move a little bit. Each song was heavy and perfect. I have seen these guys countless times now but last night was, by far, the best. It’s been amazing to see them grow as a band and I am more than honored to call these boys my friends.
As soon as I walked into the show last night, I saw my best friend Angel standing near the merch booth with my mortal enemy (just kidding, he’s a good friend of mine) Dustin from By The Thousands. After the first band, I ran into my buddy Lee from Mithya who was selling tickets to the upcoming Gwar show. After talking to him for a bit, John from By The Thousands came up and joined us. Between some of the other bands, I went outside and saw Eric and D.J. who are friends of mine from the local band Buried Above Ground. Shortly after that Jerrid from Royal’z, another local band, came up to me selling a ticket to next week’s Plot in You show. There were numerous people at this show from other local bands that I know just wandering around the show throughout the night.
I didn’t want to go to a show last night. I wanted to be in bed by 8 p.m. But the second I walked into the venue, I was surrounded by all of my friends. No… wrong word… all of my family. I stopped thinking about my pure exhaustion. I wasn’t worrying about the pile of work I’d be walking into the next day at my day job. Nothing mattered except the music and my family.
Support local music. Support your scene. Support your friends. Support your family.
Line Up:
soulkeeper
Venue: Amsterdam
Sausage Fest Meter- 13 out of 10
Broken Bones- None
Average Age- 20?
Found in the Pit- None
Leave a Reply